WASHINGTON  Defeating the Iraqi insurgency is as important to the United States as winning World War II was 60 years ago, the Pentagon's top officer said Monday.

Myers: "If terrorism wins in Iraq, the next 9/11 is right around the corner."

By Lawrence Jackson, AP

Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, who will leave his post as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the end of this week, said the United States must win in Iraq because "the outcome and consequences of defeat are greater than World War II."

During an interview with a small group of reporters at the Pentagon, Myers, 63, also said the Army is trying "to get the facts" about recent allegations of abuse involving U.S. troops in Iraq. "The people who made these allegations are known and are talking to the Army."

On Sunday, Human Rights Watch released a report chronicling new claims of abuse, including charges that U.S. soldiers routinely tortured detainees to soften them up for interrogators.

The report included the testimony of Army Capt. Ian Fishback, who said he approached the human rights group after his superiors failed to properly investigate allegations that soldiers at an Army base near Fallujah had regularly beaten and abused prisoners in 2003 and 2004.

On Sunday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said on ABC's This Week that the new allegations had to be investigated and were "hurting America's image abroad."

The latest report follows the investigation and prosecution of U.S. troops for abusing Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad.

Myers also cautioned against cutting the military budget to help pay for recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

Myers has been chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2001. He will be succeeded by Marine Gen. Peter Pace.

In the interview, Myers linked the post-9/11 war on terrorism with the fighting in Iraq, saying both require a continuing commitment by the American people, who sometimes "tend to forget" the threat from al-Qaeda and other terror groups. "This is a handful of folks who are willing to do despicable acts in the name of extremism," Myers said.

Iraq, Myers said, is now al-Qaeda's "center of gravity," and the United States shouldn't reduce its forces there prematurely. "My view is, if terrorism wins in Iraq, the next 9/11 is right around the corner."

Although some U.S. allies, including Saudi Arabia's foreign minister last week, have predicted Iraq may disintegrate, Myers said the United States has high expectations there.

Eventually, he said, the United States hopes for an Iraq that is at peace with its neighbors, is an ally against terrorism and respects human rights. "I don't think we're dialing back our expectations in Iraq," he said.

Myers said U.S. troops will continue to battle the insurgency aggressively, but the role of Iraqi security forces in the fight will continue to expand. "We're not backing off," he said. "You don't win by playing defense."